Bendigo with Marina Prior
Such was the dual draw of Victoria Welsh Choir and Marina Prior that the start time was delayed as the audience of nearly 1000 filed in and found their seats at the architectural wonder that is the Ulumbarra Theatre.
Men of Harlech rang out lustily, fuelled no doubt by the overnight defeat of the ‘nasty English’ by the Wales rugby team! After a rousing Morte Criste, more patriotism was evident in the more modern O Gymru followed by the old favourite Cwm Rhondda.
The first lady of musical theatre Marina Prior then came on to offer some beautifully sung numbers from the shows. Memory was followed by Someone to Watch Over Me and then I Dreamed a Dream from Les Mis. The capacity audience was entranced and thrilled by her sheer presence. Marina then took the solo part in You’ll Never Walk Alone backed by the choir.
Next, one of the Bendigo choristers Nigel McGuckian played an exquisite flute solo with the choir on Sanctus. The heartfelt What Would I Do Without My Music and the totemic Battle Hymn of the Republic finished off the first half in great fashion.
After interval, patrons were treated to Debussy’s Le Plus Que Lente played by Kaitlin White, the local winner of a prize offered by the Rotary Club of South Bendigo.
The choir then launched into a “Celtic Kaleidoscope”, starting with Anthem Geltaidd, a modern patriotic number. Chorister Roger Bartlett then featured on the lilting Carrickfergus followed by Barry McMahon on Wild Mountain Thyme, both soloists receiving huge applause. The choir then came together to sing a cappella the lullaby Si Hei Lwli ‘Mabi, which showed off the incredible acoustics of the theatre. Hard-working and versatile compère Drew Hopkins then gave everybody a rollicking Spanish Lady, complete with sinuous flamenco dancing by Sarah Lynn and an inadvertent water glass upset by the would-be matador, all enjoyed tremendously by the assembly.
The beautiful Marina then came back with more musical favourites – Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Music of the Night and that paean to lost relationships, Time to Say Goodbye. Her soaring voice and her engagement with the capacity audience showed her that Bendigo people would welcome her back anytime.
Nigel came back with his flute and accompanied tenor Rushan Hewawasam and the choir on the English version of Guardian Angel which we had heard Bryn Terfel sing in 2012 and which has subsequently become a firm favourite with choristers.
The final bracket was a tribute to the ANZACs in both World Wars – the audience sang along with the choir on some of them and Marina joined in with the nostalgic The White Cliffs of Dover. With Pack Up Your Troubles and the final exhortation to Smile, Smile, Smile, the Ulumbarra theatre did just that. As the whole audience stood for the Welsh National Anthem, passion and pride and a wonderful afternoon’s musical enjoyment came to a fitting finale.